


Space Germs

by masteremeraldholder



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Humor, M/M, Multi, Sickfic, and he's a huge germaphobe, hunk's the mediator, keith loves his boys!!!, like lance calm the fuck before you get everyone sick, spoiler alert: he does, they love each other!!!!!!!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 11:17:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8246885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masteremeraldholder/pseuds/masteremeraldholder
Summary: Space colds prove to be very different from Earth colds, so when Lance catches one, he's shut-in his room, leaving Keith even more alone and isolated than him. Keith goes to the only one who's there when Lance isn't: Hunk.





	

Lance was scrappy. That much was obvious after he’d had three visits to the healing pods in a matter of days. It didn't matter what planet or galaxy they were in, Lance somehow managed to get injured. Maybe it was his brash behavior or just bad luck (who really knew), but it was a good thing that Alteans had similar medicinal practices and treatments to Earthlings or else Lance would've been shit out of luck.

After the latest mission when everyone was waiting to hear his complaining and griping, they were surprised to see that the blue Paladin didn't sustain any physical damage. But when Lance began to sniffle and cough a couple of hours later, it was clear that he'd definitely caught a cold. The pods couldn't help unless there was a physical break, fracture, or bruise, so Lance was stuck with the cold (how he actually wound up with it was a mystery since they weren't around anything infectious, maybe he just had a weak immune system?).

The intergalactic cold proved to be _very_ different from an Earth cold. Normal ailments included a stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and on rare occasions, a headache. Lance had all of those now, along with a shit ton of others (fever, hacking coughs, and oddly, itchiness?). 

The poor soul was barely making it; he stumbled instead of walking, drawled when he spoke, and sneezing was his response to most questions. Allura ordered him to bed (after she loaded him down on pain pills, sinus pills, just about every pill she had. And also tea, which was blue. Who knew Altean tea was blue?) with strict orders not to leave it unless he had to excrete bodily waste (surely she could've found a better way to put this, or maybe she was dumbing it down for Lance's slowed cognition).

As sickly as Lance looked (and was), Keith wasn't buying any of it; this was a load of bullshit to him, mainly because it affected _him_. Yeah, it was cynical, but he'd gotten so used to falling asleep with Lance's long arms cradling him that sleeping alone in a cold bed made him uncomfortable and scared. It reminded him of his days spent in an orphanage as a kid... He knew it was wrong to be so petty, but he couldn't help it; as much as he hated to admit it, he was clingy and because he was, there was no way he'd face sleeping alone again.

After washing up, Keith didn't even bother to disturb his neat bed, he just grabbed a pillow off of it and left his bunk. He followed the trail of lights on either side of the hall. The sound of his sock-clad feet padding against the floor was comforting. They (his feet) were on autopilot, it seemed, as they lead him towards Hunk's room.

He'd only gone there once, when Lance was in the healing pods overnight for some illness and Keith had been faced with the same predicament he faced now: loneliness.

Oddly, Hunk's presence had helped soothe to him; Hunk was actually patient with him, caring and gentle and sweet... it was nice. And Keith hadn't had that empty feeling he had before he went.

Keith was starting to think that he had abandonment issues. Maybe not severe ones, he could stand being alone in the day, be it training or just being in silence, but at night, the silence scared him. It was _suffocating_ , like anything could creep up out of it and... Maybe his issues were more severe than he thought.

So yes, he was lonely and honestly, he didn't see any harm in asking for Hunk's help again. He'd probably be understanding like he was before. Hopefully...

Now in front of his room, Keith knocked on the door softly and entered, it was pitch black inside.

“Hunk?" Keith whispered.

“Hmm?” There was a shuffle of bed linens sliding over one another as a body shifted. “Keith?” Hunk's voice was laden with sleep. A chill came over Keith at hearing Hunk's low voice and he suddenly felt naked in his tee and shorts. Was he really this nervous around _Hunk_?

Keith gulped and strolled over to the bed, slapping his pillow down; He pulled the covers back, slipping under them quickly.

The large boy was like a heater, his warmth was intoxicating. It took everything in Keith to keep from burrowing underneath him like a mole (Keith somewhat resembled a mole: small eyes, fuzzy hair, solitary, and territorial if threatened).

“You okay?”

Keith glances up. His eyes are drawn to the dark, curly hair atop Hunk’s head. He can make out the yellow paladin's round, serene face. His dark eyes, while droopy from sleepiness, appear to be smiling. Keith nods and shields his face before Hunk can notice his deepening blush.

“You're freezing.” Hunk murmurs, wrapping his arms around the smaller male's hunched form. Keith was stiff as a board because here he was, a complete loner with a callous personality, wrapped in the arms of a living, breathing angel. What did he do to deserve this? It made him adore Hunk more and more.

Keith soon finds that Hunk is just as warm and cozy as Lance, but _much_ softer than him; he's wondering how one can be so plush, yet toned, (Hunk's arms are fucking steel) such a thing seems unreal, but as Keith settles and relaxes into Hunk's soft belly and chest, he realizes that Hunk is definitely real. He even dares to lay his palms against the larger male’s chest, mainly to reassure himself that Hunk is really here, a tangible being actually _here in front of him._

Keith feels so warm and full, and everything is getting hazy, maybe from this blissful, tingly feeling he has on the inside, so he closes his eyes and sleep gets the best of him.

* * *

There was a knock and the door opened before a whisper. “...Hey...Hunk! You up?” This was followed by a sniffle.

Hunk was sound asleep, but Keith had always been a light sleeper, so of course he heard and recognized the hoarse voice. Lance.

Keith lifted his head slowly and peered over Hunk's shoulder, his face set and his hair wild. “What're you doing here?” Lance looked like a hot, _germy_ mess. The tall boy’s hair was stuck to his sweaty forehead and his pajamas clung to his equally sweaty body like the under-suit of their uniforms. Even the lion slippers looked droopy and pitiful.

“Keith?” Lance coughed and started over to the bed, “…I need a hug... You weren't in your room, so I came here.”

“Go away!” Keith hissed. There was _no way_ he was letting Lance guilt trip him into feeling sorry for him.

“Shh! You're gonna wake him up!” Lance gestured to Hunk's sleeping form and lifted the blanket, trying to wiggle in. “Move over.”

“I can't. I'm on the edge.”

“So am I!”

Keith huffs. He can't believe that Lance is sick and _still_ being this annoying. “And?”

“And,” The _nuisance_ keeps nudging his way in, “I'm sick, so I'm more important than you!”

Count on Lance to make _everything_ about him. It was so typical. He had one more time to bring up being sick again and Keith was certain that he'd deck a _sick_ person in his face.

“Are we really doing this? Right _now_?”

“I dunno, depends on if you're willing to give up.” Lance was determined to get on Keith's nerves in all of two minutes. And there was no way Keith was giving up, so he clung to Hunk's arm, using it like an anchor to settle himself in place, but Lance (weighing all of a buck-oh-nine) was surprisingly strong when he wanted to be. He was inching Keith closer and closer to the edge, until eventually Keith's fat ass wasn't even on the bed.

“Lance, stop, I'm—

Lance wasn't sure what Keith was saying, but when he hears a loud _thump_ , he's _pretty_ sure that Keith's hit the floor. His mind is all wonky from the medicine, so he hasn't completely registered what it, exactly, means that Keith is on the floor; all he knows is that he's now finally on the bed.

Hunk takes this moment to wake up. “Wha—?” He glances behind him, acknowledging Lance for a second then back in front of him, finding his arms Keith-less. "Keith?"

“Down here.”

Hunk leaned forward. Keith was on his back, on the ground.

“What're you doin' down there?”

“Ask Lance.” Keith says sourly. “And while you're at it, throw me a pillow, I'll just sleep down here…”

“What? No!” Hunk is in mom mode in an instant. He clamps a gentle (yet firm enough to say, ' _Get your ass up._ ') hand around the pale boy’s small wrist and helps him back into bed. He's practically in Hunk's lap because the bed is so small. “Lance, get in the middle.”

“What?” Keith squawks. “He's _sick_!”

“That's the only way it'll work.”

“Aw, Keith,” Lance teases while sniffling, “are ya scared of a few _space germs_?”

“Honestly, I'm terrified of yours.”

“Y'know what, just for that ‘m coming in.” Lance proceeded to clamber over Hunk and squeeze his way into the middle, shimmying and squirming like a worm. He's breathing in and out through his mouth, sounding like a complete sicko (and a psycho, and a lunatic, there's so many things he's reminding Keith of right now), blowing muggy air into Keith's face.

“Ugh.” Keith turns his head to the side. “Stop.”

“I'm sick, whaddya expect?”

“From you, nothing. You're just more whiny than usual.”

“Cut it out.” Hunk intervenes. “Go to sleep.” He presses his lips to Lance's lean neck, obviously having no worries of catching whatever _disease_ Lance had contracted.

Keith grumbles and crosses his arms. He tries to stay upset, but Lance smells heavenly; like soap and something that Keith can't put his finger on (maybe that cough syrup that Allura'd given him?). It was like a trap, luring him in further and further until there was no escape. He sighed and nestled his head under Lance's chin, his face against his warm, bony collarbone. His Adam's apple is bobbing up and down as he swallows and Keith has the urge to kiss it, so he does. A quick peck at first, then a longer, more tender one.

Lance places sloppy kisses to the top of Keith's mop of hair and wraps his long arms around the shorter boy's full hips. That warm, full, tingly feeling is back and Keith's toes curl and he exhales lightly. A movement that simple shouldn't have such control over him, but it does and it's practically euphoria.

Keith is lulled to sleep by the sounds of Lance's raspy breathing and Hunk's soft snoring.

* * *

 

“Achoo!”

“Yikes. Here's a hankie.”

“Thanks.” Hunk blew his nose loudly and it took everything in Keith to not shout, 'Told ya so!' Instead, he cringed at the slimy sound of mucus being discharged. He sniffled and glared at Lance. It was all his fault.

The virus that'd Lance'd had was apparently airborne, he'd sneezed and coughed so fucking much last night that now Keith and Hunk had it. Lance didn't, though. He'd been miraculously cured overnight. 

Keith couldn't even express how pissed he was because it felt like there were fucking razors in his throat and he could barely breathe through his congested nose.

This morning was much, much worse though.

When Keith woke up, his throat felt drier than a desert and he was hotter than one too. Hunk had the same ailments, he'd learned, yet the two still tried to make it to breakfast. They hadn't even made it down the hall before they ran into Allura. She took one look at them and ordered (literally _mandated_ ) them back to bed.

They'd been quarantined in Hunk's room together (Keith was on a makeshift cot) and Lance came in later with a mountain of pills per Allura’s request. He’d been put in charge of taking care of the two since he'd already been exposed to the virus and could probably fight it off easier than any of the others. That was the biggest mistake ever made because even though he couldn't talk that much, Keith was going to make Lance pay for getting him sick (he was going to make today _hell_ for Lance).

Keith called on his inner ‘Lance’ (because there was _nothing_ more annoying than Lance) to help him accomplish his deed. He started subtly by asking for tea, a whole pot of it, and demanded that Lance personally make it.

“You don't even drink tea!” Lance said.

“I'm feeling spontaneous today.” Keith replied with a wry smile. “What about you, Hunk? Want some tea?”

Hunk nodded. “Yeah, I could go for some.”

Lance huffed and left. He returned about ten minutes later with a tray. Two cups and a kettle were on it. Lance poured a decent amount of the blue liquid into the cups and handed one to Hunk (who uttered a low 'thank you.’). Keith smirked because there was no way he was going to be that sympathetic.

“It's too hot.” He said dryly when Lance tried to give him the cup.

“It's s'posed to be hot, it's _tea_!”

“It's _too_ hot.”

“Well, whaddya want me to do about it?”

“Cool it.”

Lance proceeded to blow over the cup and Keith swore he was spit popping into the drink. Lance tried handing him the cup again a couple of seconds later. Keith scrunched his nose up. “I'm not drinkin' that.”

“What? I just cooled it!”

“Yeah, and you spit in it.”

“I did not!”

“Well, I'm not drinkin' it. Fix me another cup.” Keith crossed his arms.

“Are you _serious_?”

“As a _space cold_.” Keith smirked and Lance only grimaced. It was so satisfying pushing Lance’s buttons.

The tall boy huffed again and turned for the bathroom, but there was a knock at the bedroom door. Lance went to it and opened it, finding Shiro. He stood a ways back from the frame; his shirt was pulled over his nose and mouth.

“How are you guys?” His voice was muffled.

“Horrible.” Lance threw over his shoulder as he turned and disappeared into the bathroom.

“Alright?” Shiro glanced at the door, puzzled, then turned back to the pair he'd actually asked about. "What about you two?"

“Okay.” Hunk sneezed (a kitten sneeze!). Shiro smiled at the yellow paladin’s modesty.

He looked at Keith, but the pale boy was avoiding eye contact. "Keith?" Shiro questioned.

Keith finally looked at him blankly and shrugged.

“Okay.” Shiro seemed satisfied with a shrug as an answer.

Lance came back in, scowling, and set the empty cup on the nightstand. “I'm not cooling it anymore.” He stated, pouring a fresh cup.

Keith’s eyes narrowed quite dangerously, but Lance didn't even notice it. Hunk did and whispered a little prayer for Lance. Keith stared directly at Lance and jerked his feet up, undoing the blanket. “I think the sheets need to be re-tucked.”

Lance sighed and kneeled to tuck the sheets, murmuring in Spanish. While he was doing so, Keith faked a yawn and stretched a short arm over to the bedside table where the cup of tea frailly sat and gingerly pushed it. It was unnoticeable, but after several more of these little nudges, the cup was teetering on the edge and when Lance stood, Keith gave it a final push and it fell off the table.The drink spilled as the cup hit the floor with _clunk_. Keith smiled malevolently.

“Oops.” He said plainly. “Can you get that?”

“Hey, I just made that!” Lance snatched a few tissues off the dresser and stooped to clean the mess.

Keith stretched an arm towards the kettle for his ultimate wicked deed (he held in an evil laugh), but the pot was snatched from his fingers by Hunk, who shook his head with a pinched expression.

“Keith, stop it.” Shiro said firmly, his face set.

Lance stood with soggy tissue and cup (thankfully, it hadn't broken). “Yeah!” He said oblivious to the fact that his boyfriend was about to pour scalding tea onto his head.

Shiro stepped out of the way as Lance left the room, then back into the doorway. His lips were pursed, the way they always did before he was about to rant, but Allura came out of nowhere and nudged him aside with her hip.

Even with her mouth and nose hidden behind her hand, Hunk could see that her facial features were hard and cold. He swore the temperature in the room dropped several degrees just from her standing in the doorway.

Hunk wished (prayed!) for Shiro’s rant because his rants usually lost intensity after awhile and then no one would listen except Shiro (everyone was certain that as a leader, Shiro had grown to like hearing himself talk), but Allura’s rants were like a hell times two all throughout. Hunk must not have wished hard enough; Allura was already speaking, her voice sharp.

“This is unacceptable. It was enough with one paladin sick, but _two_!” She shook her head, unbelieving. “You had better make the speediest recovery possible.”

Shiro laid a hand on her shoulder and led her off, not before he threw a look of his own over his shoulder at the two. Hunk shivered uneasily, but Keith was the contrary, he hardly looked disturbed by the talking-to.

Not even a minute later, Pidge and Coran passed by, both sporting a smug grin. Of course they had to get their two-bits in. The duo gave a mocking wave before sniggering and walking off.

Keith only stared into space and then exhaled loudly, closing his eyes. Why did _he_ have to be sick? He didn't ask for this. And he hated being sick more than anything. He was probably wrong for blaming Lance, it wasn't necessarily his fault. Maybe it was Keith’s own fault. Was it his fate to be sick? It was almost as if he was being punished for seeking comfort.

Hunk was watching Keith as his face contorted into a look of confusion. He was probably twisting the situation all out of proportion, Hunk thought.

“Hey,” Hunk said, “whatever you're thinking, stop. I swear it’s not as bad as it seems.”

Keith looked at him, surprised. He wasn't even sure what _it_ was (his uncertainty?), but knowing that Hunk was watching him and could read him like an open book made him calm down.

Hunk stuck an arm from underneath his blanket, reaching for Keith. “Just let it go. Okay?”

Keith grasped his large hand. It was warm. “Okay…”

* * *

Lance came back with a damp rag (he mentioned Allura saying something along the lines of, ’Her ship was not going to become a pigsty.’) and a clean cup. He sat the cup on the dresser and kneeled to wipe up the remnants of tea stained to the floor.

Guilt finally hit Keith and he bit his lip dejectedly as he watched Lance clean. When he stood and wiped his forehead, Keith took his hand gently (his sticky, wet hand). He wasn't really sure how to say what he wanted to. Apologizing wasn't really Keith’s forte. How were you supposed to apologize for being an annoying dick to your boyfriend?

Keith cleared his throat (which didn't help get rid of the frog in it). “‘M’sorry.” He whispered.

Lance stared at him and Keith instantly regretted opening his mouth, but Lance leaned down and smiled really wide and Keith thought his heart was going to burst right there. Then the tan boy kissed Keith's forehead.

“It’s fine, babe.”

Keith couldn't believe what was happening. He was forgiven that easily? The red paladin could only stare as Lance pressed another kiss to his runny nose. He had no regard of catching the virus again. And Keith decided there that Lance must’ve cared for him a ton to risk getting sick again. Why? Keith didn’t know why, so he leaned up and kissed Lance's cheek.

Hunk smiled as he watched the scene unfold (he knew that it’d eventually work itself out). And like that, things were back to normal (minus being ill, of course). Lance was smothering Keith with so many kisses (like Lance’s _mamá_ used to do to him) that Keith had to push him away with a laugh.

Lance stuck his tongue out before he went to Hunk and peppered his face with kisses too. Hunk smiled and laughed (his laugh was glorious; low and rumbling, it made his belly bounce), wrapping his large arms around Lance’s lanky frame. Lance toppled over onto Hunk, giggles slipping out of his mouth as he pressed their foreheads together.

Keith watched the two and he felt something tug at his heart. It was sharp but not necessarily painful, like someone had pulled his heart out of his chest and stepped on it, in a good way though. It was an unexpected, weird feeling that Keith couldn't really describe.

He turned over and tugged the blanket over his head. He'd deal with his feelings later. For now, he was fine listening to Hunk and Lance giggle and hum softly to each other. Keith even hummed along too or maybe it was just in his head.

**Author's Note:**

> hope ya'll liked it!!!!!


End file.
